Children of Sand
by CrystillineYuy
Summary: ::M Rating for Implied Abuse in ch. 2:: Kankurou discovers downtrodden children barely surviving on the streets of Suna. These children's story brings them closer to what every child deserves...a loving and trusting family.
1. Twins

This little story came to me as I was finishing up Heirs of Sand. I wanted to touch more on family and this story is a result of that notion. This story would be a GREAT companion piece with Heirs of Sand. (Companion pieces are generally set within the world of the original piece, but do not have anything to do with the original story.) I had a hard time deciding upon the rating, then decided because of chapter 2 I would HAVE to make it mature. (Chapter 2 has implied abuse of children in it).

That being said, here goes nothing!

Disclaimer: Naruto, it's characters, settings, etc., belong to it's fabulous creator. All original characters, settings, etc., belong to ME!

**Chapter 1: Twins**

Suna had become prosperous after the Fourth Shinobi War and Kankurou was grateful for that. People milled about, happy. It was something Kankurou hadn't truly seen in years.

The marketplace had become vastly larger...vendors from all walks of life, all nations, came there to sell and trade their goods. This alone is what made Suna prosper greatly, for the desert was a harsh mistress. These days his little brother, Gaara, was extremely busy. With Temari gone and married in Konoha, there was only Kankurou to help. These days being Kazekage included sleepless nights and hardly any time to breathe but Gaara wouldn't complain.

Kankurou had decided to take a break from his own paperwork hell. Besides, he needed to make sure the marketplace was okay. Lately there had been a few instances of theft...They weren't much, mostly food and a few coins but any theft was in need of investigation. With the market being so busy these days, it was the perfect place for such things to occur and with the many complaints coming in, it had to be dealt with.

No one could pinpoint the thief, which was odd in itself. Everyone would just say they would have something, then seconds later it was gone. Kankurou suspected someone with ninja skills was doing such things but what ninja would steal anyway? It made no sense.

As he ventured further into the marketplace, he felt a bump then looked down.

It was a male child, no older than five. He had short brown hair and intense blue eyes. He looked a bit dirty, though Kankurou supposed he had been playing with other children as most Suna children did these days.

"Hey, where's your mom kiddo?" Kankurou asked the boy. The boy looked at him for a long moment…

Then suddenly kicked him in the leg.

Kankurou had NOT expected that! He stumbled a bit then glared at the boy's form that rushed away.

"Little brat…" Kankurou muttered then absentmindedly brushed off his pants. Boy was he going to hear it from Baki...being bested by a little kid. Sighing he reached into his pockets then froze. He had kept his pocket change in his left pocket, always there in case he needed it.

And right now...that left pocket...was empty.

"Son of a…" Kankurou quickly looked around for the boy but the crowd was much too thick to see anything. He jumped, taking to the rooftops of buildings. His eyes scanned the crowd quickly…

There was the kid, standing at a booth...using HIS money, to buy a loaf of bread.

Frowning Kankurou followed the kid using the rooftops. The fact that the kid had bought food with the money greatly bothered Kankurou. Sure, every village had families who needed help but Suna prided itself in making sure all civilians wanted for not. The very fact that a five year old had stolen money and used it for food...was a bit disheartening. Now that Kankurou pondered it...all of the stolen goods had been food and mere chump change. Could there be a struggling family Gaara hadn't known about?

Kankurou continued to follow the young boy to the outskirts of Suna. Here there were fewer houses because the sand out here was harder to build upon. The young boy had stopped at a small alleyway then walked in. Kankurou watched from the rooftops, his suspicions a bit confirmed. There, laying on some worn blankets was a girl child, probably as old as the boy. They had similar features to them so Kankurou suspected the two were related. The girl was quite pale, her body still as the boy approached.

"Ne, Hi-chan!" The boy went to the girl. "I gotcha some food!"

"H...Hi...kun…" The little girl was breathless...It was made obvious she wasn't doing well.

Thinking quickly Kankurou dropped down, scaring the little boy so much that he fell to the sand, his prized bread falling beside him.

"Easy…" Kankurou said to the boy as he reached towards the girl. He felt for a pulse...There barely was one.

"Get away from Hi-chan!" The boy went on a rampage, hitting and screaming at Kankurou. It got so bad that Kankurou had no choice but to knock him out. Sighing Kankurou hefted both children into his arms then rushed to the hospital. He was certainly a sight to see with two unconscious children hanging limply in his arms but he barked orders and in minutes nurses took the children in the back. Sighing again Kankurou plopped into a nearby chair, suddenly exhausted.

Those poor kids...By the look of the girl, they had been there ever since the theft complaints came in, which meant either their home was gone or they weren't from Suna to begin with. Either way Kankurou would have to investigate. He would also have to possibly get the orphanage involved, if he couldn't find any relatives.

Man...Sometimes he hated his job…

**Next Time: Innocent Interrogations**


	2. Innocent Interrogation

Alright guys, this is the chapter that forced me to rate this story M. There is nothing explicit but the fact that innuendos of child abuse are present, a rating of M is required. Basically, in this chapter, Kankurou uses his puppetry talents to get information out of the boy he found on the streets. How does he do it? By creating "Teddi". It's...both sweet and disturbing at the same time really but it sets the precedent of the story. The puppet masters in Naruto got me to thinking how they could use their skills not just in battle, but also to help children.

Also, forgot to mention: This story is several year after the end of Naruto, so Sakura will be named Uchiha-san in certain occasions, for obvious reasons. (If you didn't know then well...Now you pretty much know!)

That being said, here we go!

Disclaimer: Naruto, it's characters, settings, etc., belong to it's awesome creator! All original characters, settings, etc., belong to ME!

**Chapter 2: Innocent Interrogation**

The next day Kankurou went back to the hospital to get more information on the kids he found. Right now there was nothing on them, he couldn't find ANYTHING on those two which meant they definitely weren't from Suna. Lucky for those kids, Uchia Sakura was currently on a mission here to teach a few of the doctors new techniques she conjured up. After hearing about the twin children, she had made it her personal mission to see to their health.

"The boy is alright, he just needed nutritious food and water." Sakura had told Kankurou as she guided him to the children's wing. The hospital hadn't had one in years but that was different now. "However the girl is suffering from multiple illnesses, including desert sickness. I'm surprised she's even alive right now. She's in the intensive care unit." Sakura frowned. "There...is something else…"

"What is it?" Kankurou asked.

"Well...the young girl's legs...I don't know what happened but...they're severely damaged...To a point where they can't be healed…I mean, her leg bones are practically dissolved now."

Kankurou froze. That...didn't sound good..."Did...the boy say anything?"

"Unfortunately no…" She shook her short pink hair. "He hasn't spoken a word. He's in the minimal recovery playroom now…Have you found anything about them?"

"Unfortunately no…" He gave a long sigh. "But…It sounds like they've got a big story to tell…" He didn't like her stare. "What?"

"I've got an idea...It might reach the boy if you're willing to help...It will require your puppet mastery skills."

Kankurou shrugged. "Sure...Don't see why not…"

He followed Sakura to the minimal recovery playroom. Here children who were well enough to socialize were allowed to play, mostly quiet games like reading or drawing. It looked like a gigantic playroom with nurses monitoring each patient. One could see the children through the glass panes that circled the play area. Sitting in a corner all by himself was the boy Kankurou had found on the street. The boy looked practically defeated, like his whole world was destroyed.

"So...What do you want me to do?" He asked Sakura.

A few minutes later, he walked into the play area, a few kids smiling and waving his way. Kankurou went over to the lone boy sitting in the corner.

"Hey little guy...remember me?" He plopped right in front of the distraught kid. The boy looked much better than when Kankurou had last seen him and his sister on the street. No longer was he dirty, fresh clothes had been given to him from the hospital.

"You took my sissy away…" The boy turned away from him. "I wanna see sissy."

"Hey...I didn't take her away...She's just...really sick…" Kankurou reasoned. "I promise the moment she's better I'll take you to her."

"Don't believe you…" The boy shook his head. "Grown ups lie…"

"Hey...I'm not lying!" Kankurou huffed. "Come on little guy, at least give me some slack…" He paused and looked at the toys around them. Personally, it felt like an insult to use his talents for something so trivial but if it would help this kid and his sister, so be it. "Hey...wanna see a neat trick?" Being a puppet master, Kankurou was able to control anything, including toys. Using his chakra strings he tagged onto a teddy bear then made it move as though it were alive.

"Whoa…" The boy's eyes went wide as the teddy bear jumped from its perch on a shelf and walked right up to the boy. "That's cool!"

Kankurou smirked...Little kids were so easily impressed…

"I'm a ninja." Kankurou explained. "I can wake up any toy…" He grinned as he made the bear wave at the boy. "This here is my friend Teddi the Listening Bear...He likes to hear people talk. The more you talk to him, the more he comes to life. Try it."

The boy frowned at him then looked at the bear.

"Um...Hi...Teddi…"

"Yo! What's up?" Puppet mastery didn't just involve moving objects...it was easy for Kankurou to not only throw his voice, but also change it.

The boy jumped for a second then his apprehensive eyes turned into excitement as he stared at the living toy.

"You know my name...What's yours?" Teddi asked the boy.

"...Hiro…" The boy said.

"Nice ta meetcha Hiro!" Teddi stood on his head and the boy laughed. "Can you stand on your head?"

"No...Never learned how." Hiro pouted.

"Then what can you do?" Teddi asked.

The boy paused then grinned.

"I can count to ten!" The boy said proudly.

"Really? That's awesome, Hiro!" Teddi said. "Can you count higher?"

Hiro stared at the bear in confusion. "There's...more numbers? But...Mister said there were only ten numbers…"

_Now we're getting somewhere..._Kankurou thought. "Oh...Your dad?" He asked as Teddi.

Hiro shook his head. "No...The mister…" His head drooped. "Dad's with momma in the sky..."

"I see…" Teddi jumped into Hiro's lap. "I know! Why don't I tell you some more numbers! It'll be like a game!"

"Okay!" Hiro grinned. "I like games and numbers!"

"Great!" Teddi clapped its hands.

Meanwhile, outside in the hallway, watching through the paned glass, Sakura crossed her arms. She had a feeling the toy trick would work. Sometimes children were so scared of talking to people that they would rather speak to inanimate objects. It didn't matter what they were talking about, all that mattered was that the boy was actually talking. It looked like Kankurou was using the bear to teach the boy to count. Hopefully, Kankurou could get some information on the boy and his sister.

Back inside, the counting lesson ended.

"There's more numbers than that but we'll stop for now, kay?" Teddi said after teaching Hiro numbers up to twenty. "Can you tell me more about Mister? I'm sure he's worried about you and your sister…"

Hiro frowned. "No...he isn't…" His gaze wavered toward some kids drawing at a table. "What are they doin'?"

"Oh...They're drawing! Wanna draw too? We have to go to a table to do it."

Hiro paused.

"...Kay…"

After moving to a table and, through Teddi, telling Hiro what drawing meant, the little boy started doodling on some paper. He was giggling after Kankurou made the teddy bear try to draw something too.

"Whew! This is hard!" Teddi plopped down.

"No it isn't…" Hiro grinned. "It's...kinda fun…"

"Hmmm...I know, why doncha draw me a picture then?" Teddi suggested. "You can draw anything you want, Hiro!"

Hiro stopped then started drawing on his paper.

"Whatcha drawing there, Hiro?" Teddi asked.

"...Sissy…" Hiro stuck his tongue out as he began to count under his breath.

"Hey...why ya counting?"

"Countin' helps me concentrate…" Hiro explained as he focused on his artwork.

"Concentrate?" Teddi asked and Hiro nodded. _Wow, this kid's pretty smart! _Thought Kankurou.

"Yeah…" The boy frowned. "Ne...Teddi…? Can you tell me something?"

"Why, I'll tell you anything Hiro! We're friends remember?"

"Kay…" Hiro went back to drawing. "Why do girls...have legs when they don't need them?"

"Huh?" That was a weird question coming from a small child.

"Well…" Hiro picked up another crayon. "The mister said...That girls don't need to stand, they just need to lay down...I asked him why then did girls have legs in the first place an' mister…He...didn't like it…But I wanted to know...Do you know Teddi?"

"Hmmm...I'm afraid I don't, Hiro." Teddi drooped. "But what do you think of it?"

Hiro picked up another crayon. Kankurou noticed the boy had drawn a girl and was now drawing a very tall man.

"I think...Mister is stupid…"

"Why's Mister stupid?" Teddi asked.

"Cause he made sissy cry…" Hiro frowned.

"That's not good...Was she hurt?"

Hiro nodded. "Yeah...her legs were like jelly after going with mister in the room...She hasn't been able to walk after that..He said it was 'cause she was a girl...ya know…'girls need only to lay down and all'…So mister said…"

_Oh shit..._All color drained from Kankurou's face.

"Hiro...Is mister in Suna?" The boy looked at Teddi in confusion. "The hospital you're in right now, it's in the village of Suna. We're in Suna, Hiro...Is mister in Suna?"

Hiro shook his head. "No…" He stopped coloring. "Teddi...I...gotta go potty…"

"Kay! I'll be right here when you get back!"

"Promise?" The boy asked.

"Promise!" The boy rushed off towards the boy's bathroom. Thinking quickly Kankurou rushed into the hallway, where he knew very well Sakura was waiting.

"Get Gaara in here NOW!" Kankurou shouted then raced back to the table. Seconds later the boy came back and Kankurou reverted back to Teddi.

"Hey, Hiro! Told ya I'd be here! Just like I promised!"

Hiro smiled at the bear then went back to coloring.

"Hiro...Do you know where Mister is?"

"...Dunno…" Hiro was concentrating on his art work as he spoke. "I took sissy away...Didn't stop running…"

"My goodness! How far did you go?"

"Well...We stayed in da big place with lots of weird things for a while but kept running till we got to the hot stuff outside. Sissy didn't like it but I told her we had to get away as far as possible…Cause Mister was just not good people." Hiro glared. "Mister made sissy cry...So…" He took a red crayon in his hand then suddenly stabbed his drawing of a tall male. "I make him sleep forever. That's when I took sissy and ran."

Kankurou swallowed hard. _This poor kid…He's only what...four, maybe five!? _

"You did the right thing Hiro, running away!" Teddi nodded. "Did you tell anyone?"

"No! Just ran…" Hiro continued to draw. "Adults lie so...No big people…"

"Hey, Hiro! Let's play a game!" Teddi said Hiro looked up from his coloring. "Why don't you draw me the place with the weird things in it and I can try and guess what it is!"

Hiro's eyes lit up. "Okay!" Quickly he started on a new piece of artwork. It took about ten minutes, but after Hiro finished he held up his work of art to Teddi.

"Hmmm...Those ARE weird things…" Teddi crossed his arms. "Say, Hiro...can I get someone to help me? You've stumped me!"

Hiro pouted. "Oh...alright...Who ya gonna ask?"

"Oh well, my friend Kan-kun!" Teddi said then Kankurou had the bear look at him. "Hey Kan-kun!"

"Hey Teddi! You having fun with Hiro?" Despite the situation, Kankurou was actually enjoying himself. Never in his life did he think his puppetry skills could be used for such a situation.

"Sure am!" He spoke as Teddi. "But...I need some help! Hiro's really smart and I can't figure out the things in his picture! Can you help me?"

"Well, sure I can!" Kankurou looked at the picture. "Hmmm...Looks like a forest...and that's a deer and a fire squirrel."

Hiro looked at his drawing. "Huh?"

Kankurou pointed to the deer. "That's called a deer…And the other one is called a fire squirrel. They're animals that live in a forest in a place called Fire Country."

"Oh…" Hiro blinked. "Fire Squirrel...Deer…" He paused, looked at the moving teddy bear. "Um...Teddi?"

"Yeah, Hiro?" Teddi asked.

"...Can...Kan-kun...tell me more about animals? And how he made you come to life?"

"Well why don't we ask him? I'm sure he'd love to tell you about those things! And maybe you can wake up one of my friends on the shelf!"

"You mean...I could too?" Hiro asked, his eyes wide.

"It couldn't hurt to try! Kan-kun is a pro at waking up toys! Aren' ya Kan-kun?"

"I sure am!" Kankurou grinned at Teddi. "And I'd be happy to show Hiro how to do it!" He looked at Hiro. "You ready to wake up some more of Teddi's friends?"

Hiro actually smiled at him. "Yeah!"

About ten minutes later, Kankurou watched in awe as Hiro was causing a stuffed monkey to dance around the table.

"Ha! Look! I did it!" Hiro grinned while Kankurou just sat there, gapping. This kid was a genius! It normally took a trainee at least three months to control such a small object but this kid had just learned it in TEN FREAKING MINUTES!

"Wow!" Kankurou smirked. "You're a natural, Hiro!" He heard a tap on the window behind him and knew instantly Gaara was there. "Say, Hiro...Did you know I'm a big brother too?"

Hiro blinked up at him. "Really?"

"Yep! I've got a little brother. His name's Gaara. And just like you protecting your sister, I'd protect him too...He wants to meet you, is that okay?"

Kankurou noticed instantly Hiro was starting to close up again.

"He was Teddi's friend before me you know." That got Hiro to perk up a bit. "And maybe, just maybe, he might be able to get the doctor to let you see your sister."

Hiro's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yep! He's the leader around here." Confusion from the boy. "Everyone does what he says. I'm sure if you ask him nicely, he might be able to pull some strings." Kankurou raised a finger. "But...we have to go out in the hallway...That okay?"

Hiro looked at the stuffed bear. "Can...I take Teddi? And Moni?" 'Moni' was the name he had given the stuffed monkey he was able to control.

"...Well Teddi probably wants to take a nap right now...but I'm sure Gaara would love to meet Moni."

Hiro nodded then gripped the stuffed monkey. "Okay…" He patted Teddi on the head. "Be right back Teddi, kay?"

Standing and taking the boy's hand, Kankurou did what Sakura said was impossible...he got Hiro out of the play room.

In the hallway Kankurou saw his brother and Sakura. Kankuroued hefted Hiro onto his hip.

"Hiro...This is my little brother, Gaara." Kankurou told the boy. "And this…" He nodded at Sakura who was smiling at Hiro. "This is Uchiha-san...She's your sister's doctor."

"...Hi…" Hiro was apprehensive again, gripping the stuffed monkey tightly in his little arms.

"Hiro's learned how to wake up stuffed animals…" Kankurou gave a wink and Gaara and Sakura instantly understood. "He's pretty good at it…"

"That is very good, Hiro!" Sakura gave the boy a smile. "You are a very bright boy."

"..." Hiro went quiet again. "...Can...I…" He looked at Kankurou.

"It's okay, Hiro…Go ahead and ask." Kankurou smiled.

Hiro looked at Gaara.

"Can I...see sissy?"

Gaara paused. He looked at Sakura who nodded lightly.

"I am sure we can do that, Hiro." Sakura told the boy.

She led Kankurou, Hiro, and Gaara down into the intensive car unit, the doctors at attention as they approached.

"Whoa…" Hiro awed and Kankurou chuckled.

"I told you...Gaara's the leader here." Kankurou told the boy in his arms.

"Your sister is very sick, Hiro." Sakura said as they stopped at a door. "You won't be able to touch her but you will be able to see her." Sakura pressed a finger to her lips. "You also have to be very quiet, she's sleeping right now, okay?"

"Okay…" Hiro nodded. "Is...Hi-chan gonna…Sleep like Mister?"

Gaara silently stared at the child while Sakura blinked.

"Hiro made Mister sleep forever after Mister did something bad to his sister." Kankurou explained. There was a bit of tension for a moment before Sakura spoke up.

"You need to have faith, Hiro." Sakura told the boy. "No one here wants her to sleep forever."

Hiro paused.

"Can...I give her Moni?" Hiro asked while holding up his stuffed monkey.

"I am sure that will be fine." Gaara finally spoke up and Hiro brightened up.

"Thank you...Kan-kun's little brother...Doc lady…"

After the visiting Hiro's sister, Kankurou knew that Gaara would need to know Hiro's story immediately.

"Hiro…" Kankurou had taken a liking to the kid. "Gaara really wants to know more about Mister…"

"Why?" Hiro prodded in innocent curiousity.

"Well...He's got a special friend in Fire Country…" Kankurou explained. "This special friend would want to know about Mister too…"

"Hiro…" The boy looked at Gaara. "Can you tell me why you and your sister were with Mister?"

Hiro stared at him.

"Mister said...We were special...Don' know why…" He looked at Kankurou. "Can I go play with Teddi now?"

"Hmmm...If you promise to make Gaara a picture you can play with Teddi." Kankurou promised the child and said child nodded.

"Kay...watcha' want?" He grinned at Gaara.

Gaara looked at the innocent boy. At first he was unsure as to why he was here, but now he knew.

"I would like you...to draw Mister."

**Next Time: Stolen**


	3. Stolen

Alright guys, this story is very short. I'm trying to get it up as quickly as possible because next week I start working again. Work = less writing time unfortunately.

Disclaimer: Naruto, it's characters, settings, etc., belong to it's awesome creator! All original characters, settings, etc., belong to me!

**Chapter 3: Stolen**

"It has to be related to the missing Konoha children…"

Sakura, Kankurou, and Gaara had convened in a meeting room after Hiro had drawn his picture of this… "mister". The drawing itself was hard to interpret but using Teddi Kankurou managed to get basic features out, like hair and height.

"Missing kids?" Kankurou asked with a frown.

The pink haired medic sighed. "There's been a few instances in which Konoha children had gone missing. At first Naruto thought it was Orochimaru but even HE was concerned about it. After a while, we discovered that the children were being sold in Iron."

"Sold? Seriously?" Kankurou glared. "For what?" Did he really want to know the answer to that question?

"That's what we can't figure out...Hiro and his sister were either kidnapped or sold to this 'Mister' guy." Sakura pursed her lips. "There's something odd though, about Hiro's story…He said he and his sister were special…"

"Huh...I'd say so…" Kankurou looked at her and his brother. "Hiro learned how to use chakra strings in ten minutes." He saw Sakura's gapped look and shock in Gaara's eyes. "Yeah...I was surprised about that myself...It takes MONTHS for a school aged kid to even get the right ratio correct...Hiro did it in ten freaking minutes!"

Gaara paused. He set his eyes on Sakura.

"Uchiha-san...What of the girl's progress?"

"She's stable." Sakura explained. "Which is surprising as well…Honestly, I'm wondering how she is still alive...The fractured bones in her legs had turned into micro pieces that entered her bloodstream. I've had to perform multiple surgeries to get the larger pieces out."

"What of their chakra readings?" Gaara asked. Suna had two versions of school, that of ninja and that of civilian thus it was extremely important for Suna children to be screened for chakra. Gaara personally wanted a school atmosphere like Konoha, where all children went to the same school despite chakra or not, however Suna's culture was hard to break when it was centuries old to begin with. At least now all children were getting some form of education, unlike several years ago when only ninja children could receive schooling. That was one of Gaara's most proud accomplishments as Kazekage. He was damn certain all of Suna's children would get an education, no matter their status. If Hiro and his sister held chakra, which it appeared Hiro did, when they were well enough, they would be put in school immediately.

"We haven't been able to do that but I'll get it done immediately." Sakura nodded. "Something is very odd here...I'm going to find out what it is."

Gaara nodded. "Please do…" If there were missing kids in Konoha he needed to make sure none of Suna's children would fall prey as well. "Kankurou…"

"Yeah, I'll get a count going immediately." Kankurou knew what his little brother was thinking. "I'll also start asking some kids...See if they saw anyone or something."

"See if Hiro can tell you more about 'Mister'." Sakura encouraged. "He seemed to really like you. If we knew what this man wanted…"

"On it." Kankurou nodded then scowled. "Though, I think we all know what he wanted with the girl…" The very thought pissed him off.

"Where is the boy currently?" Gaara asked.

"Well…" Kankurou huffed. "Right now he's conked out on a mat in the recovery playroom. He's not going to leave the hospital without his sister...So…I kinda promised him he could stay with me."

Gaara nodded. "That is fine." Then stared at his brother. "You look tired…"

Kankurou gave a yawn. "Yeah well entertaining a little kid is tiring...Geez...After this I'm thinking about crashing myself…" Now that he thought about it, he DID feel kinda...sluggish in a way. He shrugged. He wasn't used to entertaining kids so sure he would be tired after spending a whole afternoon with one.

After the meeting with Sakura and his brother, Kankurou returned to the recover playroom but noticed something odd. The mat he had set the sleeping Hiro on was empty.

"Hiro?" He looked around the space but found no trace of the little boy. The door to the boy's bathroom was wide open, signifying no one was in there. Where could he have gone?

_Oh crap..._Could the kid have gone to see his sister? It was possible...That kid was bright for his age.

"Hey!" Kankurou went to a nearby nurse who was helping a little girl hold a pencil. "Have you seen the kid that was napping on that?" He nodded over at the mat in the corner.

"Oh...Yes…" The nurse nodded. "His guardian came to pick him up."

Kankurou's heart stopped. "What?"

"A man came to pick him up, poor kid was so tired that the man didn't want to wake him." The nurse sighed.

Kankurou rushed out the door. He hadn't been gone long, about thirty minutes or so, which meant the guy had to still be-

"Kankurou!" He saw Sakura rush towards him. Sheer dread hit him as she spoke her next words.

"The girl! She's gone!"

An all out manhunt was underway. Sakura stayed in the hospital to gather some supplies while Kankurou and a few Suna ninja went looking for this mysterious kidnapper. If they found him, Kankurou was going to probably kill the bastard before the bastard could even talk. Hiro and his sister were off limits, period, and Kankurou was going to make damn sure they weren't going to be taken anywhere again.

In the hospital, Sakura was downright furious. Who the hell would steal sick children anyway!? The little girl was barely alive! She needed to hurry to join in the hunt. As she was preparing to leave, a doctor came rushing towards her. It was Terra-san, the doctor she was partnered with when she got to Suna. Terra-san was also helping Sakura with Hiro's little sister.

"What is it, Terra-san?"

"You're not going to believe this!" He held up the monkey Hiro had given his siter. "It's laced with chakra!"

Frowning Sakura gripped the stuffed monkey. Using her senses she reached into it then nearly jumped. Sure enough...there was chakra in there...It wasn't a lot but it felt familiar…

"This...This is Kankurou's…" It definitely was Kankurou's chakra. She could feel it. But...How…?

_Yeah...entertaining kids is tiring...After this I'm thinking about crashing myself…_

Sakura's eyes widened. She dropped the stuffed animal then rushed out of the hospital.

She hoped she wasn't too late.

**Next time: Chakra Vampires**


	4. Chakra Vampires

Disclaimer: Naruto, its characters, settings, etc., belong to it's awesome creator! All original characters, settings, etc., belong to ME!

**Chapter 4: Chakra Vampires**

Kankurou managed to find the kidnapper at the Suna gates. Hiro and his sister were dangling over the man's broad shoulders. It appeared that the man didn't give a damn as to the well being of the children and that pissed Kankurou off even more.

"Hey! Stop!" Kankurou shouted and the man stopped in his tracks. Kankurou was ready to fight the bastard but paused as his legs gave way under him.

_Man...I...I can barely stand right now..._His breathing was heavy...His body felt like lead. What the hell was going on?

The man turned around, laughed at Kankurou's weak form.

"Well...Looks like you fell victim…" The man grinned. "Perfect! I've been wanting to try wielding Suna chakra…"

Kankurou huffed. "You...You bastard!" His ninja mind started thinking of the possibilities. The man hadn't touched him so this guy must have set a trap somewhere to weaken Kankurou. That had to be it.

"Oh...I'm not the true bastard…" The man chuckled. "Just sit there and wait to die…" He paused. "wait...I've got a better idea…" He literary dropped the unconscious girl onto the ground below him. "Feh...She's not ready yet anyway…" He looked at the unconscious boy still on his shoulder. "You...On the other hand…" He touched the boy's side then sighed. "Oh man...So much good chakra...Yeah...That's the stuff…" Down went Hiro as well. "Man, he took a lot out of you…"

_What the hell is going on!?_ Kankurou thought as his breathing shallowed.

There came a torrent of sand enveloping the man, who at this point was definitely not this… 'mister' Hiro talked about. No, this was another male.

"Whoever you are…" Gaara approached, quite mad at the sight before him. His brother nearly spent, and two unconscious children haphazardly lain upon the desert ground…

Kankurou smirked. Yeah…This man was officially dead.

Gaara eyed the male before him.

"You have two seconds…" He stated as the sand squeezed the man hard.

The man smirked back. "Heh...I'll just take some of yours then!"

Gaara raised an eyebrow then held up a hand. He was already done with the man.

"Sand coffin."

As the man's screams were died out with sand, Uchiha Sakura rushed to the battlefield.

"Don't go near the children!" She shouted. "If you do they'll take your chakra!"

Kankurou huffed in shock as Sakura rushed to the little girl. "What!?"

"Their bodies are able to absorb chakra around them." Sakura frowned as she quickly helped the girl. "That's why the little girl survived...Hiro was unconsciously feeding her the chakra he absorbed. Seeing as that they are young, they probably don't know it's happening. Since you were around Hiro a lot, Kankurou, he siphoned a lot from you...That's probably how he was able to control that stuffed monkey so quickly. I suspect the ability is lessoned when they are asleep."

What? That was crazy!? Yet, it would explain why Kankurou felt so drained right now. He had practically spent the whole afternoon with Hiro!

"Hey…" Kankurou had a thought What if they started taking Sakura's chakra!? "Shouldn't you get away too!?" Awe hell that's all Suna needed was to piss off Sakura's husband, Uchiha Sasuke!

Sakura shook her head. "The little girl is too sick to siphon chakra." She picked up the little girl. "I need to get her back to the hospital ASAP!" Like the wind the pink haired medic was gone.

The little boy was brought to the hospital as well, but placed in a high secure room that no one was allowed to enter. Kankurou was told to go rest but he wasn't having it, not until he knew what the hell was going on. He joined Gaara with Sakura who stood outside the little girl's hospital room. Kankurou took a seat in one of the waiting chairs in the hallway.

"And how did you come to the siphoning chakra conclusions, Uchiha-san?" Gaara asked.

"The stuffed monkey Hiro gave his sister was filled with Kankurou's chakra." Sakura explained. "And the little girl was slowly feeding on it while she was sleeping." Sakura's mind began to turn. "This could be the reason why this...Mister Hiro talks about, kept them. Most likely he was using the children, or at least Hiro, to take chakra from others."

Konoha needed to be informed of this immediately. The disappearing children from Konoha had to be connected to this, most definitely.

"There's got to be a way to stop their siphoning abilities or at least lesson them to a point where they aren't dangerous to others." Sakura continued. "However...It's possible that the ability only works with one person at a time, seeing as that they are just children and all...siphoning chakra from a group would be challenging…"

Kankurou crossed his arms. "I got a feeling...Hiro knows what he's doing…" Stares his way. "Hiro's a smart kid...I have a feeling he knew what he was doing this whole time. And that guy...He took chakra from Hiro...So…These two kids are definitely not the only ones out there that can do this.."

More information Konoha needed to know, other nations as well. The very fact that there were people out there that could take chakra away was concerning to say the least.

Gaara made a quick decision. They needed answers, and there was only one person who could talk.

"I will speak with the boy."

**Next Time: Innocent Intelligence **


	5. Innocent Intelligence

Disclaimer: Naruto, it's characters, settings, etc., belong to it's awesome creator! All original characters belong to ME!

**Chapter 5: Innocent Intelligence**

There was no way in hell Kankurou was going to allow his brother to speak with Hiro alone. Thus, Kankurou made Gaara wait until he recovered from Hiro's ability. During that time, the young boy, was moved to a highly secured room...An interrogation room. Gaara didn't personally like keeping a child in an interrogation room but it was the safest place in Suna. Guards were outside the door and inside as well, keeping an eye on the child. As Gaara and Kankurou walked into the small space, they both noticed the boy looked dejected. Hiro was sitting in one of two chairs in the room, a table separating him from Gaara and Kankurou.

"Hiro…" Gaara sat in the chair opposite Hiro. "Do you know what you have done?"

Hiro flinched, tears were falling from his eyes.

"I...I'm s...sorry…" He hiccuped. "J...Just wanna…"

"You took Kankurou's chakra to help your sister, didn't you?" Gaara deduced and the boy slowly nodded.

"Uh...Huh…"

"Hiro…" Gaara continued. This wasn't like the normal interrogations Gaara was used to seeing or participating in. This child didn't truly mean to hurt Kankurou, he was just trying to save his sister in the only way he knew how. "Do you know how to stop your gift of taking chakra from others?" Another nod from the boy. "Please do it now, otherwise no one will come near you."

Immediately the boy did an odd hand sign, said "stop". Then...Hiro panicked.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He was covering up his head, wailing like a banshee. "Don't hurt me! I won't do it again! I promise!"

Gaara went over to the distraught, scared child. Hiro shook and balled up as Gaara knelt towards him. Lord Kazekage placed a hand on the boys head and the child froze in absolute fear.

"Be still, Hiro…" Gaara's voice was calm as he addressed the child. "You are not in trouble."

His words caused the boy to still.

"You didn't do it out of malice or cruelty...You just wanted to help your family." Gaara told him. "However, it is wrong to take from others without asking."

"B...But Mister said-"

"You said Mister was stupid right?" Kankurou was at the kid's other side, finally entering the conversation. "Well, he is…Listen to Gaara, kid...He's the leader here, remember?"

"Hiro…" The boy went back to Gaara. "Do you know what a ninja is?"

"K...Kan-kun...s..said...he's one…" Hiro sniffled.

"Yes...He is...A ninja uses his power to protect the things that are precious to him. What you did, Hiro, only a ninja would do." Gaara smiled at the boy. "You are going to be a great ninja someday...I have no doubt, but...in order to be such you must learn a few things first."

"Hiro...Starting tomorrow, you will be attending school...It is a place where you will learn how to harness your gift for good. They will teach you many things there," Gaara then added, "including lots of numbers." That got Hiro's attention.

"Wh...What about...Sissy?" Hiro asked.

"When she is better, she will also attend." Gaara told him. "Hiro...You must promise me something...If you do, I will promise something to you as well."

"Wh...What…Is it…?" Hiro sniffled again. His tears were slowly going away.

"You must promise me to be a good boy...Learn all that you can...Grow strong and wise. Be a good ninja for Suna. Can you promise this to me?"

"Uh huh…" Hiro nodded as he rubbed his eyes.

"Then...I make this promise to you, Hiro…" He touched the boy's shoulder. "I will protect you and your sister, with my life if necessary. You two will never go hungry, nor be scared again. So long as I am leader of this village, you are part of my family. You and your sister, Hiro, are now children of Suna...and you will remain such forever."

Hiro started to tear up again and without warning glomped onto Gaara, crying more tears. Holding the boy to him, Gaara rose to his feet.

"Told ya he's cool, didn't I?" Kankurou grinned at the crying boy.

"Let's go check on your sister." Gaara wiped the tears away from the child's face. "Then, you will go home with Kankurou."

"...Kay…" Hiro hiccuped. "Th...Thank you...Kan-kun's...brother…"

Gaara smiled at the child. "You are most welcome, Hiro…"

Gaara was sure it was quite a shock for all to see him walk out with a child in his arms but he ignored such stares. With Kankurou at his side, he walked with Hiro into the hospital. The nurse in the front saw them and quickly walked over.

"Lord Kazekage…" She bowed.

"Where is Uchiha-san?" Gaara asked.

"She's...She's with patient 27…" The nurse said. "The little girl she brought in...She woke up about five minutes ago. I was about to send for you-"

"Sissy?" Hiro's eyes widened.

"Thank you…" Gaara nodded. "Please lead us to the child's room."

They were guided down into the children's wing. Standing at a door was Sakura.

"Hello, Uchiha-san." Gaara greeted.

"Kazekage-san." She nodded then smiled at Hiro. "Hey, little guy...Ready to see your sister?" Hiro nodded slowly.

Walking in, the little girl was sitting up. Hiro's mood completely brightened upon seeing her.

"Hi-chan!" He squealed. The little girl turned her head.

"H...Hi...Kun…?"

Hiro was placed on the bed next to his sister.

"She won't be able to talk much, Hiro. She's still a bit sick." Sakura told him.

"Thank you, doc lady…" Hiro said. "For helping my sissy…"

"Hiro…" Gaara's voice made Hiro look at him. "Tell me your sister's name."

Hiro smiled. "Hinako! Her name's Hinako!" He looked at his sister. "No worries Hi-chan! These big people are good people!" He looked around her bed. "Hey! Where's Moni?"

It was Gaara that produced the monkey. He placed the stuffed animal on the bed beside Hiro.

"Thank You, Kan-kun's little brother!" Hiro grinned at his sister then stopped and looked at Kankurou. "Um...Kan-kun…" He was hesitant for a moment. The boy was trying to get the words right.

"Whatcha need, Hiro?" Kankurou went to the boy's side.

"Um...Can I...Uh...I wanna show sissy how Moni can move but...um…" He fiddled with his fingers. "Um...can I…?"

"Oh...You're asking if you can borrow chakra huh?" Kankurou asked and Hiro nodded. "Well...I don't mind, but don't take too much okay?" He nodded over at Gaara. "You have to ask the leader first if you can activate your ability though. Remember, he's the boss around here."

Hiro nodded then his gaze went back to Gaara.

"Um...May I...Use Kan-kun's…" Hiro pursed his lips. "Um...stuff...er...Sha ku ray...To make Moni move for Hi-chan?"

Impressed that the boy had learned right from wrong so quickly, Gaara gently smiled then nodded.

"You may." He told the boy. "But only under supervision."

Hiro nodded. "Thank you, mister...uer...leader guy…"

"I'll supervise." Sakura smiled.

"Thank you, Uchiha-san." Gaara nodded. "I will take my leave." He stared at Hiro. "Remember your promise to me, Hiro...As long as you keep it within you, I shall always keep the promise I made to you." Hiro nodded then waved Gaara goodbye as he walked out of the room.

"Alright, buddy." Kankurou pulled a chair over to the bed. "Let's make Moni move, together this time, okay?"

Hiro's smile lit the room.

"Okay!"

**Next Time: Adopted**


	6. Adopted

This little story is a sweet reminder that family is important to us all. Two more chapters left you guys...I hope you enjoy the precious ending...

Disclaimer: Naruto, it's characters, settings, etc., belong to it's awesome creator! All original characters, settings, etc., belong to ME!

**Chapter 6: Adopted**

Several years later, two members of team 14 of Suna was were standing on the streets of Konoha, waiting for the Kazekage to arrive. Their teacher was going to meet Lord Kazekage first before they could see Suna's red headed leader.

"Man, I can't believe we've made it to the finals of the Chunin Exams!" Onki used his arms for a pillow for his head as he leaned against the stone wall behind him.

"Heh...Of course we did! We've got Suna's prodigy on our team!" Tora was sitting down on the ground, fixing up her long hair into a braid. She had to look her best when meeting Lord Kazekage.

"Where IS Hiro anyway?" Onki asked.

"Dunno…" Tora huffed. Finishing her hand she stood. "You know him, always wondering around."

"Sorry I'm late guys!" Their final team member came rushing down the road. He was the youngest in their group but also the smartest. "I had to finish writing my letter to Hinako."

Onki instantly held hearts in his eyes. "Oh my sweet Hinako! Such a delicate little flower!"

Tora rolled her eyes. "Here we go again…"

Hiro gave Onki a glare. "No way, Onki! My sister isn't a delicate flower!" He grinned. "She's as beautiful as the sun!"

Tora smacked her head as the two boys on her team argued about Hinako for the fifth time that day. It was annoying really...Any time Hinako's name was mentioned, this happened. Tora didn't hold a grudge against Hinako, in fact she saw Hiro's parapeligic sister as her own little sister, it was just annoying to see the boys arguing over her.

"Guys, seriously!?" Tora screamed at the two.

"Team 14! At attention!" The trio heard the bark of their instructor and the three future shinobi quickly formed a line.

"Sorry, Lord Kazekage…" Standing beside their instructor was Lord Kazekage himself and his brother, Lord Kankurou.

"It is alright." The red haired Kage gave a nod.

"All three made it to the finals sir…" The instructor was quite proud of that.

"Nice job guys!" Lord Kankurou grinned at them. "Heh, brings back memories, eh Gaara?"

Gaara looked at the three future Suna ninja before him, one in particular caught his eye. He walked towards the youngest one, the boy with the brown hair and deep blue eyes...Hiro. Hiro had become the star of Suna's ninja academy...great hopes were upon his shoulders, this young shinobi.

"Hiro…" Gaara gave the boy a smile. "You are fulfilling your promise to me...I thank you."

"Yes sir!" Hiro saluted.

Kankurou gave a grin. "We got a bit of a surprise for ya…"

"Surprise sir?" Onki asked.

Kankurou chuckled. "Well...Someone wanted to come and cheer you three on, you especially Hiro."

Hiro looked at the man in confusion. "I...Wha…"

"Hiro…" A girl's voice was behind the adults who moved aside to let the girl through. The wheels of her chair were silent as she pushed herself forward.

"Hinako!" Hiro rushed to his disabled sister, his teammates behind him. All three were happy to see the girl there. Kankurou grinned at the little reunion of sorts, while Gaara silently stared.

"Thank you, Lord Kazekage, sir…" Hiro went and bowed to Gaara.

"There is more." Gaara nodded to Kankurou and Kankurou replied with a nod of his own.

"Hey, you guys…" Kankurou went to Hiro's teammates. "Gaara's gotta talk to Hiro and Hinako for a bit. Why don't I treat you all for a job well done?"

"Yay!" Tora and Onki shouted happily.

Onki suddenly pouted. "Eh...Demo...Why does Lord Kazekage need to speak to them?"

"Oh, you'll find out later." Kankurou looked towards their instructor. "Mind joining us? They are your students."

"Sure, sir." The instructor nodded. Onki and Tora waved at Hiro and Hinako as they left with the instructor and Lord Kankurou.

"Hiro, Hinako...Come with me." Gaara instructed.

Hiro began to follow Gaara, pushing his sister's wheeling chair in the process. "Where..are we going sir?"

Gaara smiled. "To make your introductions."

He guided them to a home where Lady Temari held her family unit. It was no secret that Lady Temari married into a Konoha family several years ago. Hiro and Hinako had never really met Lord Kazekage's older sister, but they had heard about her in school. The very fact that they were meeting this woman was cool but also confusing. Why would Lord Kazekage introduce them, orphan children of Suna, to his honorable sister?

"So you're the prodigy I've been hearing about ne?" Temari chuckled at the little boy.

"...Yes ma'am." Hiro said with his sister sitting beside him.

"Where is your son, Temari?" Gaara asked and she gave a deep huff.

"Probably in the woods again…" She frowned at her brother. "Why did you bring these two kids anyway?"

Gaara smiled. "I would like you to meet them…" He placed a hand atop Hinako's head. "My daughter, Hinako…" He did the same to Hiro. "My son, Hiro."

The twins looked at him in utter shock. Temari's eyes widened.

"Gaara…" She breathed out.

"I...Sir...I…" Hinako and Hiro could barely speak.

"It was finalized before I came here." Gaara explained to the two. "You are now officially the children of the Kazekage...Be strong, and be proud."

Temari wiped a tear from her eye. "Well...Looks like I'm an aunt then…Didn't think I would be one..."

"I…Thank you…" Hiro was obviously trying to hold back his tears. "I...can...I…"

"Go ahead and join your unit, Hiro." Gaara told him and the boy was out the door in a flash.

"Um...sir…" Hinako remained. Unlike her brother, she hadn't received shinobi training for obvious reasons. Thus, her tears could fall freely and they did. "I…"

Gaara wiped the tears from her eyes. "Do not think you are less than your brother, Hinako." He told her. "You are as precious to me as he is."

"H...Hai…" She hiccuped. "Th...Thank you…"

"We cannot stay…" Gaara told Temari. "Hinako is being expected in the hospital."

"Oh?" Temari looked at the young girl before her.

"I'm...I'm getting an operation…" Hinako's tears had finally subsided a bit. "It's...gonna help...me surprise my brother…"

Temari paused for a moment then smiled.

"He's going to be very surprised, I suspect." She grinned. "Good luck, little niece." Then winked. "Call me Auntie Temari, okay?"

"Thank you…" Hinako nodded. "Auntie...Temari."

**Next Time: First Mission**


	7. First Mission

We are at the end of this sweet little story. I hope you enjoy the final surprise!

Disclaimer: Naruto, it's characters, settings, etc., belong to it's awesome creator! All original characters, settings, etc., belong to ME!

**Chapter 7: First Mission**

The finals of the Chunin exams were well underway. Future Chunin were making their nations proud as they underwent their battles under the watchful eyes of the crowd above them. Gaara sat with Naruto, the Seventh Hokage, at a special area for them, watching the matches as they unfolded.

"I heard about your prodigy, Gaara." Naruto grinned. "I heard he's a pretty smart kid…"

Gaara smiled. "Yes…He is…"

"Look who's here…" Came a woman's voice.

Hinako was rolled up in her chair by a smiling Sakura.

"Hey...Did it go okay?" Naruto asked. Of course he would know about the special operation! When first told about Hinako's plight through Sakura, Naruto was determined to help the little girl.

"It went well…" Sakura nodded then looked at Hinako. "But she will need to take it easy for a bit...Ne, Hinako-chan?"

Hinako smiled up at her. "Right."

"Thank you, Uchiha-san." Gaara spoke to Sakura. "For helping my daughter."

His words caused Sakura's eyes to widen as did Naruto's.

"Eh? Hontou?" Naruto gapped.

"I have adopted Hinako and Hiro…They are officially my children." Gaara spoke with pride in shi voice.

"Ah...Hontou? Really? Congratulations." Sakura smiled.

Naruto smirked as he looked below in the arena.

"Heh...Speaking of sons...Looks like our two got picked…" He smirked. "Brings back memories ne, Gaara?"

Gaara looked down to see his newly adopted son standing in the ring. Hiro's opponent was Boruto, Naruto's eldest child.

"Yes...It does." Gaara smiled. "Shall we see who's child is the strongest?"

Naruto pouted. "Oh hell, you're starting already huh?" He chuckled. "Boruto's gonna beat your boy to the ground…"

This time, Gaara actually smirked. "I highly doubt that…" He gazed towards Hinako. "Right, Hinako?"

Her smile was as bright as the sun. "Right...Father!" Her smile wavered for a moment then she turned to Sakura. "Um...Uchiha-san...If...my brother wins…" She whispered into the woman's ear.

Sakura nodded her head. "It'll be okay but I have to help you...Only for a few minutes okay?"

Hinako became extremely excited. "Okay!"

The match was fierce, but Hiro had been proven the strongest. The crowd cheered as he stood there, the winner of his battle. Naruto huffed while Gaara gave a prideful smile.

"Hiro!" Hiro looked towards the competitor's area and saw Onki's jaw on the ground. Tora was pointing into the audience. "Look up! It's Hinako! She's next to your father!"

Hiro looked up into the audience, quickly spotted Lord Kazekage…

Then froze.

There...was his sister...Standing.

Standing...Hinako was standing with the help of Uchiha-san!

Hiro completely forgot what the proctor was saying or what Boruto was groaning about. All he could see...was his sister...Standing!He booked it out of the arena, into the audience area. He rushed up the steps, past shinobi to see his sister.

"Hinako!" He stopped as he made way to her. His sister was sitting in her wheeling chair...Had he imagined it!?

"Hi-chan…" He stuttered "I...Did...Did you…?"

Hinako smiled at him.

"Yep! I stood!" She looked at Sakura. "Right, Uchiha-san?"

"Yes...For a good few minutes." Uchiha-san was smiling.

"Hah! Great job, Hinako-chan!" Naruto gave a thumbs up, while Gaara was silently smiling.

"I...I'm sorry Hi-kun…" Hinako frowned at her shocked brother. "I...DID come to see you but...I also came...to have an operation…" She took Sakura's hand. "Uchiha-san...Says I'm going to be able to walk again because of the operation!"

Hiro was having a hard time holding in his tears. First being adopted by Lord Kazekage...Now…

"It...It's too much…" He was shaking. Ninja didn't cry! Ninja didn't cry! Hiro kept repeating the phrase in his mind but it was hard to keep it in when there was so much good change going on around him. "Too...Much…"

He felt a hand on his shoulder and he noticed it was Lord Kazekage. His adopted father was standing before him, not as a ninja leader, but as a parent.

"It is alright, Hiro." Gaara told the boy. "You can cry...Just this once."

Hiro belted out tears...They fell like rivers down his cheeks. They weren't sad but happy tears that fell. Gaara stood right beside him, waiting for his son's tears to subside. When the boy had calmed down, Gaara spoke again.

"You should go back to your team now, Hiro…" Gaara let the boy go, then went back to his seat beside Naruto.

"H...Hai...Sir…" Hiro stopped himself. "I...I mean...Father." He bowed then rushed away.

Naruto chuckled. "You certainly like to surprise people, ne Gaara?"

"No truly...But...every once in a while…" Gaara gave a glance at his adoptive daughter sitting beside him in her wheeling chair. "Surprises are needed, especially joyous once."

"I'll nod to that." Naruto grinned.

A few days later, Hiro walked towards the gates of Konoha, his teammates beside him.

"Man...It would be you, wouldn't it?" Onki chuckled.

"Well, what did you expect?" Tora held her hands at her hips. "He's Lord Kazekage's son you know!"

"Alright you three, let's not start up again." Their instructor chuckled. "We need to get going." He looked at Hiro. The boy held a scroll in his hands. "Do well on your first mission as Chunin, okay?"

Hiro nodded. "Yes sir!" He waved his teammates goodbye as they headed out without him.

"Hey, buddy...ready to go?" Turning Hiro grinned as three approached him. Kankurou pushed Hinako's chair along while Gaara stood at her side.

"Yep!" The newly adopted child of Lord Kazekage rushed to his sister. "Remember, Hinako...Only stand 5 minutes a day, okay?"

She nodded and said, "Right!"

"Chunin." A prideful smile graced Gaara's lips. "Explain your mission."

Hiro stood at attention. "Escort Lady Hinako of the Sand to Suna! The scroll stated I was to follow Lord Kazekage and Lord Kankurou along the way, sir! I'm also to make sure Lady Hinako follows Doctor Uchiha Sakura's explicit orders!"

Kankurou crossed his arms. "Sounds like the perfect mission for a first timer, ne Gaara?"

Gaara nodded. "There is one detail that I wish to change…" He placed a hand atop Hiro's head. "Do not call me Lord Kazekage…"

The boy looked up at him, grinned.

"You got it, father."

**The End**

My final thoughts: Love your family, whoever they may be...Protect them, nurture them...and love them.


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